Expo-sing the Outer Hebrides

Outer Hebrides Tourism CIC, the Isles Hotel Group and Cala Hotels and Hebridean Hopscotch Holidays will all be representing the Outer Hebrides at Scotland’s biggest travel trade event next week.

The trio of businesses from the Outer Hebrides will all be promoting their tourism offering at VisitScotland Expo 2017, which takes place at the SEC in Glasgow on 26 and 27 April.

It will be the 38th staging of Scotland’s biggest business-to-business event for the travel trade. The national tourism organisation’s flagship show will give 276 Scottish tourism businesses – including accommodation providers, visitor attractions and activity providers – from every corner of the country the chance to showcase their products and services to more than 600 tour operators and travel agents from all over the world.

The event is expected to create a net economic impact of £2.5 million for the local economy while, thanks to one-to-one appointments facilitated by VisitScotland, exhibitors are expected to generate an average of £22,000 worth of gross turnover as a result of attending.

Alan MacKenzie, VisitScotland Islands Manager, said: “I am delighted that these businesses from the Outer Hebrides will be joining the many others from across Scotland that will be attending VisitScotland Expo to showcase what these fantastic islands have to offer.

“Tourism is more than a holiday experience – it creates jobs, sustains communities and provides a shop window for business activity.

“VisitScotland Expo provides local businesses with a fantastic opportunity to engage with tour operators and suppliers from all over the UK and overseas.

“It is crucial we work together to grow tourism and I am delighted to see such commitment from related businesses in the Outer Hebrides.”